Socio-cultural factors influencing the interpretation of public health communication of HIV/AIDS messages in selected villages in Lesotho
- Authors: Moqasa, Nketsi Abel
- Date: 2021-01
- Subjects: Mass media in health education , Communication in medicine
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21235 , vital:47431
- Description: HIV/AIDS remain a major public health concern in Lesotho. The spread of the virus has increased exponentially in recent years despite concerted efforts by government to combat the pandemic through public health communication. Both the literature in health and cultural communication attributes the failure of public health messages on HIV/AIDS to resonate with the target audience to several socio-cultural factors including norms, religion and poverty. Using a qualitative research approach within the theoretical framework of the Culturally Sensitive Model of Communicating Health messages, this study investigated the socio-cultural factors influencing the interpretation of public health communication of HIV/AIDS messages in selected villages in Lesotho. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions involving participants from four villages namely, Ha-Makebe, Ha-Fusi, Ha-Foso and Maqhaka. Findings of the study revealed that various cultural factors including multiple sex partners, inconsistent use of condoms and lack of education contribute to the pervasiveness of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. The influence of these socio-cultural factors on the understanding of public health communication varies among individuals. The results suggest that some certain socio-cultural factors prevalent in several Lesotho communities encourage people to practise unhealthy lifestyle that increases the chances of contracting HIV/AIDS. Although participants admitted that they were aware of HIV/AIDS messages, they were unanimous that they did not receive the messages as they were intended or expected suggesting that their understanding or interpretation of the messages was moderated by cultural factors. The comments provided by participants attest to the importance of culture in the acceptance and understanding of PHC messages by the target audience. The findings indicate that language and culture exert both positive and negative effects on the reception and acceptance of HIV/AIDS messages. It was also noted by chiefs that the factors aforementioned are not strongly emphasised in the public health communication campaigns aimed at eradication of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho hence, communities are severely impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Health workers on the other hand, confirmed that messages conveyed to communities are culturally sensitive because they consider the culture of the target audience which is Basotho.This study, therefore, recommends that public health communicators should also encourage other stakeholders who are working hard to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS to consider the implementation of socio-cultural factors when designing HIV/AIDS prevention strategies as this will allow the target audience to accept and interpret HIV/AIDS messages positively. Based on the data analysed, it was identified that there are no policies that link HIV/AIDS message design to the local culture which results in a lack of acceptance of PHC messages related to this pandemic. As noted by some participants, most HIV/AIDS messages reflect perspectives of western culture where unlike Lesotho society, some issues like language, age, poverty are not considered. Therefore, HIV/AIDS messages that reflect the culture of the target audience must be taken into consideration during the design and implementation of cultural policies and interventions. It further recommends that clear policies that deal with HIV/AIDS campaigns and culture in Lesotho be formulated. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2021-01
Investigation into HIV/AIDS coverage in selected South African newspapers
- Authors: Moqasa, Nketsi Abel
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) in mass media , Mass media -- South Africa , Journalism -- Social aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa , Content analysis (Communication) , Press -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Com)
- Identifier: vital:11367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006285 , AIDS (Disease) in mass media , Mass media -- South Africa , Journalism -- Social aspects , AIDS (Disease) -- South Africa , Content analysis (Communication) , Press -- South Africa
- Description: This study investigates HIV/AIDS coverage in selected South African newspapers. The rationale for the study hinges on the fact that the media’s role in informing society about social issues, such as HIV/AIDS, is of paramount importance. The study adopted, principally, the content analysis method and, as a supplement, discourse analysis. Four daily newspapers were content-analysed, namely: Daily Dispatch, Daily Sun, Sowetan and The Star. A total of 288 editions of newspapers, spanning a period of twelve months (January to December 2010) were sampled. This study is informed by agenda setting theory. Discourse analysis was used to determine the compliance of these newspapers to media guides on the use of appropriate language or terminologies. The tone, sentence structures used when disseminating HIV/AIDS stories were also examined. The results revealed that HIV/AIDS coverage by these newspapers is reasonable even though the prominence given to HIV/AIDS issues is dissatisfactory in terms of placement on the page, headline font-size and number of paragraphs devoted to HIV/AIDS stories. 5.0% of HIV/AIDS-oriented stories were placed on the front page; 93.8% on the inside pages while 1.3% were placed on the back pages. It was also found that news and feature were used equally to disseminate HIV/AIDS issues. These genres constituted 50% each. On the other hand, the results revealed a statistically non-significant relationship between the newspapers and categories; that is: (25.09 2 , p 0.122 0.05 ). Results further revealed that these newspapers used appropriate terminology and value-neutral language in their stories. The tone of the messages was found to be positive and encouraging.
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- Date Issued: 2013